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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/25857379">A lifetime with you</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saphirsilber/pseuds/Saphirsilber'>Saphirsilber</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>NCT (Band)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Alternate Universe - College/University, Immortal Na Jaemin, M/M</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-09-17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-02</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-05 06:42:48</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Mature</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>3</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>8,237</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/25857379</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/Saphirsilber/pseuds/Saphirsilber</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>„So, what were you doing in the streets that late?“, the boy‘s fingers are wrapped tightly around the steering wheel and he’s nervously licking his lips.<br/>„I could ask you the same thing“, Jaemin says through gritted teeth. He’s still busy with holding onto the handle for his dear life. This night definitely makes it to the top three of the worst nights Jaemin ever had and that’s impressive because Jaemin had lots of bad nights. It tops even the one time some idiots dragged him out of his bed, claiming he was a witch and burned him on the spot. Not a very fond memory. Jaemin wants to go home and drink so much he forgets what happened tonight. Instead he’s forced to go with this crazy boy who has just killed him with his hell of a car.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Lee Jeno/Na Jaemin</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>5</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>32</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Hey everyone,<br/>Before you start reading just a quick warning: this story is going to deal with death and despite being unable to die, Jaemin is kinda suicidal. If you have a problem with that, please don’t read this story ♥️<br/>As always, have fun reading and have a great day!<br/>~ Saphirsilber</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Jaemin looks down at the crashing waves underneath him. From where he’s standing on the steep cliff to the place where the ocean meets the sharp rocks it’s at least 90 meters, more than enough to crack his head open like a raw egg. He shivers at the thought, but Jaemin is determined. It’s not the first time that he’s standing on top of the cliff but maybe it’s the last time, if he’s lucky. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Dying is uncomfortable, Jaemin should know, he tried it. The problem is, living is even more uncomfortable and at this point painful so no matter what Jaemin chooses, it means suffering either way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„This is shit“, he mutters into the silence of the dark night. It’s a stupid idea to jump down the cliff but for Jaemin it’s just another desperate attempt to kill himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What does one think about just mere moments before his own death? Maybe about life, about countless times he saw the sun rise and fall down again, drippin the world in cold darkness. Thinking about life so briefly before death is ironic in Jaemin‘s opinion. Life isn’t that great and he doesn’t want to waste his last seconds on earth with thinking about what he had been cursed with anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He sighs deeply, once, twice. The hopeless, dull feeling is back in his stomach, a void as dark and as infinite as the water underneath him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Somewhere in the forest behind him a bird calls, an owl Jaemin notices. Flying sounds good, he likes the weightless feeling of it. If only he had wings then maybe life would be more exciting. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Alright“, Jaemin takes another step forward to the edge of the cliff. He can feel his heart racing in his chest, beating against his ribcage. Jaemin can’t tell if it’s fear or excitement. „Here we go“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>With a last deep breath, Jaemin lounges himself forward and off the cliff. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The air sings in his ears as he’s racing towards the ground and Jaemin closes his eyes, clinging on his last thread of hope. He wants it to be over, just a few more seconds and it will all be over. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin doesn‘t feel pain when he hits the hard, wet rocks. It’s all happening too fast, his body full of adrenaline because centuries upon centuries of evolution made it easy to die and that’s exactly what Jaemin does. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He dies, sweet nothingness lulling him in and Jaemin (or whatever it is that’s left of Jaemin) finally relaxes. It feels a bit like being underwater for too long, when conciseness is about to leave your body and you just let yourself get dragged further down into the bottomless ocean. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Peace. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Until it isn’t, until the familiar hook yanks on Jaemin‘s navel, pulling him back into his pathetic life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Salty water surrounds him and Jaemin lets out a frustrated scream that dies down in a few air bubbles. His lungs scream for air, his body is getting tossed around in the merciless forces of the ocean. Waves throw him against a rock and for a moment, Jaemin can’t tell where‘s up and where’s down until his eyes catch the bright light of the moon shining through the dark water. When he breaks the surface, the moon is still up in the sky, the waves still crash into the rocks in front of him and Jaemin is still alive, god dammit! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Why?!“, Jaemin calls out into the night as soon as he stops coughing and spitting salt water but just like always, his question remains unanswered. A huff leaves his lips and for a moment Jaemin considers drowning over and over again but his body is aching from his fall and it’s useless anyways. Jaemin can‘t die, no matter how hard he tries and so he swims back to the coast, climbing out of the water in his drenched clothes without a scratch on his body. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The night is cold and Jaemin curses that he didn’t bring spare clothes with him but well, he didn’t exactly plan to return. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sand is sticking to his wet skin and even wetter clothes, to his hair and fingers, to his bare feet. He’s dirty, he’s exhausted and he’s frustrated and Jaemin kicks a seashell in front of him with an embarrassing cry. He turns back to face the cliff once again. Ridiculous. Nobody should be able to survive a fall from this height, Jaemin knows enough about physics that even if he didn’t hit the rocks perfectly, she should have still died. And yet he’s standing here, on the beach. Cold and wet but still alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Shivering and cursing, he drags himself home. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>🗝</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin doesn‘t exactly know why he’s immortal. He never angered the gods, a witch or another mystique creature and he also never met anyone like him. All he knows is that he hasn’t been dying over the last nine hundred and sixty eight years, but who’s counting, right?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin is, Jaemin has been counting all his life, a ridiculously long life that is. So far, that’s his statistics: He drowned eighty nine times, jumped down from a height seven hundred seventeen times, got shot twenty eight times, shot himself two hundred thirty one times, got stabbed twice, cut his wrists fifty six times, died of the plague twelve times, got beheaded once, poisoned himself three hundred ninety two times, got burned fifteen times (plus the one time he accidentally set his house on fire) and tried various other things but he’s still alive. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>What a nightmare, Jaemin thinks as he’s paying for the three large bottles of wine. All he wants to do is lay down on his couch and drown his sorrows in alcohol while resting his spent body. Dying by breaking basically all of your bones hurts like a bitch and Jaemin‘s old bones loudly protest against such torture. While his emotions are getting more and more numb, his body sadly doesn’t. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The cashier gives him a weird look and Jaemin can understand why. He’s still wet, there’s still sand sticking to him and even though he hasn’t taken a look into the mirror, he knows that he probably looks half dead as well. Jaemin doesn‘t care anymore, not after all these years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He clutches onto the three wine bottles and leaves the store. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The streets are empty at this time of the night and Jaemin is glad. After so many years, he can’t stand talking to people anymore, always having the same conversations over and over again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At the beginning of his immortal life, Jaemin had lots of friends. But while they got older and older, Jaemin stayed young and watched as they lived their life until one day, death came for them. It was easy for everyone but Jaemin to have a nice life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Gosh, being immortal sucks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Maybe he should order pizza once he gets home. Yeah. Pizza sounds good and maybe a nice bath for his throbbing body and maybe he should open up the pit of ice cream that’s waiting for him in the freezer. Oh, and wine of course, Jaemin can’t wait to get wine drunk as long as it doesn’t end like this one time in-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He hears the loud bang before he can actually feel it. Jaemin gets hit by a car. A very fast, very stable car that hits him perfectly as he’s trying to cross the street, sending him flying over the asphalt before he smacks into the phonecell. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sometimes death comes unexpected, like the one time Jaemin rode a horse, fell and broke his neck. It’s similar like that this time, one moment Jaemin is crossing the street, the next moment blackness surrounds him and all the frustration and sadness leaves Jaemin just to yank him back into life afterwards. Everything happens too fast for Jaemin to even process what the fuck is happening to him and before he can realize that he died (again!), he’s alive again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Hnghh“, is the first thing that leaves Jaemin‘s mouth when he opens his eyes. Oh man, getting hit by a car might be one of his least favorite deaths. Jaemin feels like he broke his ribs and squashed his lungs. He’s also sitting in something wet and as he looks down he realizes that it’s his wine. Or his blood. Or maybe both. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh my god, oh my god!“, a boy jumps out of the car and runs over to Jaemin. He’s shaking uncontrollably and he’s hysterically crying, a natural reaction to seeing someone die, Jaemin supposes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I’m so sorry, oh my god, oh god, I didn’t see you crossing the road, oh god“, the boy falls to his knees next to Jaemin, trying to locate any wounds on Jaemin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I‘m alright“, Jaemin groans and tries to sit up but the boy presses him back onto the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No you’re not, I‘m calling you an ambulance, shit, I’m so sorry, it’s going to be okay, don’t worry“, he reaches for his phone but Jaemin is faster and smacks it from his shaking hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No!“ Jaemin hates to deal with the paramedics because it’s always rather difficult to explain why he’s basically unharmed so he tries to avoid these kinds of situations. „I‘m fine, I promise“, Jaemin says and as proof he sits up again, as far as the other boy allows him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You can‘t be, there’s blood everywhere and I hit you so hard you flew across the street, please, let me take you to the hospital“, the boy begs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„That’s not blood“, Jaemin lies. „It’s the wine I just bought“, he gestures towards the broken glass on the ground. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„That’s a lot of wine“, the boy doesn’t sound too convinced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Well I like wine“, Jaemin gets up, a bit pissed that on top of hitting him with a goddamn car, this boy has the audacity to criticize Jaemin‘s wine consumption. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I’m still calling you an ambulance, my brother is in medical school and I know that you could simply not feel the pain because of the shock“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No ambulance“, Jaemin protests stubbornly. He doesn’t have the energy right now, he just died twice within the span of twenty four hours. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Okay, then I‘m driving you to the hospital“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No“, Jaemin bends down to pick up the remains of his last bottle. There’s still half of the bottle intact but it’s probably a bad idea to drink what‘s left of the wine. It’s drenched in blood just like Jaemin himself and shit, those stains on his shirt are going to be a pain in the ass. He needs to get out of here as fast as possible, the boy is still shaking and apparently really wants to see Jaemin in a hospital and he can’t let that happen. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Please, you can’t just walk off like that“, the boy reaches for Jaemin‘s wrist, forcing him to stay still. „I read of a guy who had an accident and thought he was fine but two days later he died because of internal bleeding, so please, at least come with me to my brother so he can convince you to go to the hospital“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin sighs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Look“, Jaemin theatrically turns once, „I‘m perfectly fine, believe me. All I need is to go home now and get some sleep“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Okay“, the boy stubbornly shakes his head despite his words. „I‘ll drive you“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin pulls a face, he absolutely hates car rides, they’re creeping him out. Honestly, what’s so wrong with a carriage? Jaemin supposes that letting this guy drive him home is a lot better than ending up in a hospital and to be honest, he’s too tired to argue anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Fine“, he gives in and the boy visibly relaxes despite still shivering and Jaemin would offer to drive but he never got a license because again, in Jaemin‘s humble opinion horses are the superior way of transportation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I swear, I’m normally a good driver, this is my first accident and I’m so, so sorry“, the boy‘s apology seems sincere but Jaemin isn’t going to forget that he literally killed him and spilled all his wine. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Don‘t worry about it“, Jaemin shrugs and wanders off to the car. His night is ruined now anyways. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>🗝</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It shouldn’t surprise Jaemin that despite his claims that he’s „normally a good driver“, the boy is an absolute catastrophe in the streets. It’s a wonder he only killed Jaemin once so far. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So, what were you doing in the streets that late?“, the boy‘s fingers are wrapped tightly around the steering wheel and he’s nervously licking his lips. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I could ask you the same thing“, Jaemin says through gritted teeth. He’s still busy with holding onto the handle for his dear life. This night definitely makes it to the top three of the worst nights Jaemin ever had and that’s impressive because Jaemin had lots of bad nights. It tops even the one time some idiots dragged him out of his bed, claiming he was a witch and burned him on the spot. Not a very fond memory. Jaemin wants to go home and drink so much he forgets what happened tonight. Instead he’s forced to go with this crazy boy who has just killed him with his hell of a car. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I guess you could“, they boy nervously chuckles. „I’m Jeno, by the way and I was just driving home from a friend of mine. We were studying together for our midterms“, he explains. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I’m Jaemin“, Jaemin says because he learned that that’s what people expect from him when they’re introducing themselves. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Nice to meet you Jaemin“, Jeno offers him his hand and Jaemin panickily pushes it back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Hey! Hands on the steering wheel!“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh don‘t worry, I know the way“, Jeno gestures towards his navigation system (honestly, what‘s so wrong with maps?). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„That’s fine but I‘m not confident in your driving-with-one-hand-skills“, Jaemin explains. Maybe he should close his eyes so he won’t have to look at this disaster of a ride anymore. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I’m a good driver, I swear“, Jeno promises and grabs the steering wheel even tighter. Jaemin may not have a license but he’s pretty sure that Jeno ignored three red lights and the speed limit for the past five minutes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno takes a sharp curve with way too much speed and Jaemin yelps, briefly scared that Jeno’s reckless driving is going to kill him. Again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So, how old are you, Jaemin?“, Jeno asks and Jaemin almost snorts because he’s sure that if he tells Jeno the truth, he’s going to make an u turn and drive Jaemin directly to the ER. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„How old do you think I am?“, Jaemin replies instead. It’s a tactic that has worked for the past two hundred years and why change a running system?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I would say about my age, so maybe twenty?“, Jeno bites his lips and takes a long, calculating look at Jaemin. He’s kinda pretty, Jaemin notices right before-</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Trashcan!“, he shouts, not a second too late because Jeno only barely manages to rip the steering wheel around to avoid a collision with the trashcan on the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I got it, don‘t worry“, Jeno says with a casual tone in his voice, as if he did not just almost run over a large metal box. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin presses one hand over his rapidly beating heart and tries his best to calm down. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You said you‘re a good driver!“, he accuses Jeno when he is able to talk again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I am“, Jeno insists. „I drove around the trashcan, didn’t I?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„That’s not- I mean I guess?“, Jaemin furrows his eyebrows. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„See, I‘m a good driver. Now tell me about your age? Did I guess correctly?“, Jeno takes another sharp curve which has Jaemin pressed against the door again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Yeah, I‘m twenty“, Jaemin lies and sighs internally. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Whoa, awesome! When is your birthday? Do you go to college as well? I‘ve never seen you on campus but that doesn’t mean anything, right?“, Jeno happily bubbles and almost drives off one of the mirrors of the parking cars next to them on the street. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„My birthday is in October and no, I don’t go to college“, Jaemin answers and grips the handle tighter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I was born in April!“, Jeno says excitedly. „You can call me Hyung if you want to“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sure, Hyung“, Jaemin mutters and tries not to think about the fact that he is literally nine hundred and forty eight years older than Jeno. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So what do you do since you’re not in college?“, Jeno asks and carelessly drives over every pothole in their way. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin shrugs in response. „I‘m just doing this and that. I travel a lot“, he says. It’s a vague answer but what is Jaemin supposed to say? I’m an immortal guy who has been around for over nine hundred years? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sick“, Jeno says and he looks honestly stunned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sick?“, Jaemin asks. It’s difficult for him to keep up with the slang but why on earth should Jeno comment his words with ‚sick‘. Nothing about Jaemin‘s experience is ‚sick‘. Well, he might be sick in his head but Jeno doesn’t need to know that. Other than that, Jaemin is perfectly healthy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Yeah sick“, Jeno repeats as if that would ease Jaemin’s confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Alright, I’m sick“, Jaemin agrees because he doesn’t know what else to say. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno laughs at that.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> „You’re funny, Jaemin“, he says and then slams his foot onto the breaks.  Jaemin is very thankful for the invention of a seatbelt because otherwise Jeno would have sent him flying through his window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Yeah“, Jaemin winces and rubs the spot where the seat belt has cut deep into his skin. „Maybe you’re just not funny at all“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Hey, I‘m really fun to be around and I-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>But Jaemin doesn’t hear the end of Jeno’s sentence because he has stepped out of the car to slam the door shut after him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Finally, Jaemin thinks. Home, sweet home. He quickly turns around to wave Jeno goodbye and then basically runs into his house before Jeno can stop him any further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After the heavy oak door falls close, Jaemin makes sure to lock it twice. He doesn’t want anyone to disturb him and his precious sleep. Oh, sleep sounds wonderful right now, Jaemin thinks and his aching limbs agree. Time to let his body rest. </span>
</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>A loud knock on the door rips Jaemin back to reality. A quick look at his antique clock in the corner tells him that it’s about 3:30 pm, if he didn’t forget to wind it again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sweet Jesus“, Jaemin mutters and drags himself up to open the door. Usually nobody visits Jaemin, especially not at such a time except for the delivery guy. He can’t remember ordering food though. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A peek through the peephole tells him who exactly is disturbing his peace and Jaemin groans. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sweet mother of Jesus!“, he silently bangs his head against the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the other side is Jeno, holding a plate full of cookies. Jaemin debates whether or not he should open the door but right in this moment, Jeno knocks the door again and Jaemin shrieks in surprise, loud enough for Jeno to hear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Jaemin?“, Jeno’s voice sounds muffled on the other side of the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin sighs and opens the door wide enough to peak outside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„What do you want?“, he asks and sounds a bit harsher than he intended. The smile on Jeno’s face drops and Jaemin regrets his actions immediately. Damn you, Lee Jeno and your stupidly adorable eyesmile! </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I brought cookies“, Jeno stretches his arms with the plate out, offering the baked goods to Jaemin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Why?“, he asks instead of taking the plate. Jaemin is still a bit careful with accepting food from guys who killed him before ever since the Belladonna-incident. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh you know, I ran you over with my car the other night“, Jeno explains and blushes a bit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So you brought me cookies?“, Jaemin asks, not quite sure how these two events correlate with each other. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I know that doesn’t mean it never happened but consider it an excuse?“, Jeno offers the cookies again with a hopeful look in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin sighs again and opens the door a bit wider, just enough to stretch his hand out to take the plate from Jeno. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Forgiven and forgotten; consider it undone“, Jaemin takes the plate and tries to maneuver it inside without opening the door any further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I literally hit you with a car“, Jeno awkwardly scratches his neck but he looks relieved that Jaemin accepted his cookies. Hopefully, he’s going to leave now and never come back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So…“, Jeno takes a long look at Jaemin and his still outstretched arm that‘s holding the plate of cookies. „How are you?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Fine, I‘m fine“, Jaemin tries to get the plate past the door again but the slit is too narrow and Jaemin really doesn’t want to open the door any further. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You look a bit tired“, Jeno points out. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You woke me up!“, Jaemin replies and immediately hates how much it sounds like an accusation and how it makes Jeno frown. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Ah, I‘m sorry, I didn’t know“, Jeno blushes and looks down on his shoes. „I‘ll just…“, he gestures behind him where his demolished car is parked. „I’m glad you’re feeling okay and… yeah“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He turns around and Jaemin thinks he looks almost like a beaten puppy. He sighs. In his nine hundred and sixty eight years of lifetime Jaemin sadly always had a weak spot for cute guys and Jeno may be annoying but he’s also very cute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Wait“, Jaemin calls after him and opens the door a tiny bit wider. „Would you like to come inside for a cup of tea?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno’s eyes light up at that and suddenly there is a smile plastered over his face once again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Yeah, I would love to“, he says and Jaemin hasn’t even time to comprehend his words before Jeno has squeezed himself past Jaemin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He presses his lips together and hopes he won’t regret his decision before turning around and promptly colliding with Jeno’s broad back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oof“, Jaemin tries his best to balance the cookies while regaining his stable standing. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Whoa“, Jeno says, clearly stunned. „This is- wow“.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Sorry“, Jaemin suddenly feels very small and maybe a little embarrassed. „I don’t get visitors too often“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>His eyes rake a bit self conscious over the piles of old books that are laying around everywhere, the ancient persian carpet that’s been collecting dust over the past three years at least, the paintings on the wall of his hallway and the marble statues of the seven muses next to a typewriter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I- those books are at least two hundred years old“, Jeno kneels down next to Jaemin’s Edgar Allan Poe collection and marvels at them. He’s going to freak out when he sees Jaemin‘s Gutenberg bible, that’s for sure. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Not really“, Jaemin bites his lip to stop himself from smiling fondly at Jeno. „They’re more about hundred fifty years old, just not that well kept“, he explains and walks towards his kitchen to put a kettle on the stove and empty the cookies into a box so he can give Jeno his plate back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Those are amazing“, Jeno is still kneeling on the floor. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„They’re okay“, Jaemin shrugs. „I enjoyed </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Murders in the Rue Morgue</span>
  </em>
  <span> but </span>
  <em>
    <span>The Gold-Bug</span>
  </em>
  <span> is clearly overrated in my opinion. But I prefer his poems anyways, so if you-“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You read them?!“, Jeno squeaks behind him and Jaemin furrows his eyebrows in confusion. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Well, they‘re books, aren’t they? That’s what you’re supposed to do with them after all“, he says. His gaze falls on Sharkespeare‘s </span>
  <em>
    <span>First Folio</span>
  </em>
  <span> and Jaemin pulls a grimace. „Except for this one, this one is supposed to burn in hell“, he picks it up and thinks back to when he tried to read it. Jaemin still regrets every second of his long life that he wasted on reading this book with his very own eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„What are you doing!“, Jeno rushes to his side and he looks tempted to rip the books from Jaemin‘s grip. „You can‘t just hold it like that!“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin isn’t sure what he is doing wrong by holding the book but it’s clearly upsetting Jeno and so he drops it back to the floor next to a baroque vase. Apparently that doesn’t make it any better because Jeno drops to his knees with another shriek. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„What are you doing!“, he calls out again and looks at Jaemin as if he just threatened to disgrace his entire family. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I don’t know“, Jaemin answers truthfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„This book is twenty times my age, you can’t just-“, Jeno interrupts himself and gestures vividly at the floor, obviously at a loss of words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You would do the same if you read it“, Jaemin mutters. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Jaemin“, Jeno says firmly and looks up at him with big eyes. „Jaemin, this book is older than both of us together. You need to treat it with respect“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin decides not to point out that technically, this book is only half his age at best and instead nods, feeling weirdly called out by Jeno. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„A first edition Shakespeare, wow“, Jeno‘s fingers are hovering above the cover, too scared to actually touch it. „Where did you get this?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I bought it“, Jaemin answers truthfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„It must have cost a fortune“, Jeno says and Jaemin is tempted to tell him that he paid about 1£ back then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Instead he just shrugs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„It doesn’t have any value for me“, he says. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Those are your parents‘ then?“, Jeno asks and points at the books surrounding them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No“, Jaemin turns back and finally makes it into his kitchen with Jeno following him. „My parents are dead“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh“, Jeno frowns. „I’m sorry“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Ah, it’s fine“, Jaemin pushes his old beaten up copper kettle on the stove. „They died a long time ago“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>🗝</span>
</p><p>
  <span>After Jaemin made some tea and Jeno is done freaking out over the old porcelain tea set Jaemin got from a friend for his seven hundred and forty fourth birthday, Jaemin leads them both into his salon where they can sit down next to a tea table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I‘m an archeology student“, Jeno tells him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So you dig up people’s belongings and steal them?“, Jaemin takes a sip of his tea. It’s still a little hot and maybe the leaves he used were already a little old but it still tastes nice. It reminds him of his time in Britain. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„No, I’m an archeology student. I dig up people’s former belongings and then I figure out the story behind them“, Jeno explains and eyes the large victorian vase on Jaemin’s side table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Whatever you say, graverobber“, Jaemin teases. It’s kinda funny how awestruck Jeno is in this simple salon that is- to put it bluntly- fucking trashed with all the stuff Jaemin collected over the past few centuries. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh no, I‘m not a graverobber, I‘m…“, Jeno makes a vague gesture. „I’m a scientist“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„You mean you scientifically rob graves“, Jaemin argues and tries to hide his smile behind his tea cup. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I guess I am“, Jeno sighs but he’s still smiling so he can’t be too offended. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Strangely, Jaemin doesn’t feel as weird as he expected in Jeno’s presence. It’s almost nice, Jeno is still so young, so full of energy and Jaemin… Jaemin kinda likes that. Ugh, it’s probably just because Jeno is cute. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„So“, Jeno raises his cup to his lips and takes another sip of his tea and Jaemin can’t help but watch him swallow, a tiny drop escaping his mouth and running down his- no, stop! he’s not going there. „What do you do?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Huh?“, Jaemin asks and tries to collect himself. Don’t be such a creep, god dammit.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I mean you’re not a student“, Jeno says and puts his cup back down. „So what do you do for a living?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Oh“, Jaemin makes a vague gesture. „You know. I sell antiquities whenever I need some more space but I don’t have a shop or anything“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno nods even though Jaemin can see confusion in his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„What about your free time? Don‘t you have any hobbies?“, he asks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Well…“, Jaemin begins and then trails off, thinking hard. „I used to have a horse. And I read a lot, I guess?“</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin wonders if that counts as hobbies but Jeno seems satisfied, his eyes light up and a smile spreads over his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I used to have a cat!“, Jeno exclaims and reaches for his phone. „I can’t have one right now because pets are not allowed in the dorms but I volunteer at the animal shelter close by“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Suddenly a bright screen is in front of Jaemin’s face, showing a picture of Jeno kneeling in a pile of fluff- no, those are cats, at least ten of them. Jaemin has to admit that it’s an adorable picture and tells himself that it’s because of the cats and not Jeno. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Cute“, he comments as casually as possible. „Maybe you can adopt one once you finish your studies“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jeno’s smile drops and Jaemin doesn’t know what he did wrong. Jeno seemed so excited about the cats just moments ago?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Yes“, Jeno swallows and then the smile is back on his face but it’s not as honest as before and Jeno’s eyes don’t sparkle anymore. „That would be nice“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the afternoon passes surprisingly fast. Jeno talks and talks and talks and Jaemin finds himself honestly enjoying his stories and when Jaemin notices that they drank all the tea it’s already dark outside. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„I would offer to drive you home but I can’t drive“, Jaemin tells Jeno when they’re standing in front of the door again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„It’s okay“, Jeno pulls out his keys with a wide grin. „I can drive myself home“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin makes a noise that hopefully sounds like something of an agreement instead of a panicked rat. He still doesn’t trust Jeno’s driving skills but he isn’t out in the streets tonight, so whatever. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Drive safe“, he says nonetheless and opens the door for Jeno. „Thank you for the cookies“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Thanks for the tea“, Jeno smiles. „And thanks for letting me touch all your stuff“. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Jaemin laughs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Any time, Jeno“, he tells him and strangely he means it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Good night Jaemin“, Jeno waves and closes the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>„Good night Jeno“, Jaemin whispers against the closed door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There is no one to hear him. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>I hope you enjoyed this update, I try my best to get back to regular updates but a lot is going on at the and I need to prioritize my health first. Have a lovely day,<br/>~Saphirsilber ♥️</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>It’s early in the morning when Jaemin drowsily makes his way down to the kitchen for his coffee. It’s the only addiction he hasn’t gotten rid of yet ever since he first tasted this heavenly drink in the late sixteenth century. But old habits don’t die easily and Jaemin has had this habit for over five hundred years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Maybe he should lower his caffeine intake though. Jaemin heard it’s not good for your heart and-</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin’s thoughts get interrupted because his foot suddenly collides with something very heavy in his way to the kitchen and he barely manages to hold onto the ugly bust of Jean-Jaque Rousseau to save himself from a fall. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin groans in pain and rubs over his aching toe, why does it always have to be his toe? It’s probably the worst pain ever, god dammit!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Angrily he looks down at the floor to see what caused his almost-accident and his eyes fall on the </span>
  <em>
    <span>First Folio</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Oh, of course it has to be the dumb book Jaemin despises so much! This book has been nothing but a waste of time and space over the last centuries and today is the day, Jaemin decides. Today is the day he is going to get rid of it!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He scoops it up and limps over towards his oven, the ashes are still glowing and that’s enough for the book to fucking burn, Jaemin thinks as he clutches onto his toe. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Oh, how Jaemin is going to savor this moment! Centuries upon centuries of horrible memories flash before his eyes, each and every single one tying him back to this poor excuse of literature in his hands. Revenge, sweet revenge for all those lost hours!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Right before he tosses it in, Jaemin hesitates. His gaze falls on the two empty tea cups in his sink and he thinks about Jeno and how he looked at this book with so much awe in his eyes. How can he be so fascinated by this piece of rotten paper? How can he look at it as if it holds the answers to the universe? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin‘s anger flares up again and dear lord, he is jealous of a fucking book, how embarrassing is that! Time to get rid of the evidence of Jaemin’s pitiful feelings for a guy who accidentally murdered him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin hesitates again. His hand is hovering above the glowing ashes, ready to let go but something inside of him won’t let him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He can’t burn it, not when Jeno likes it so much, not when he held it as if it was his first born child. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Damn you, Lee Jeno and damn Jaemin’s weakness for cute guys!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>🗝</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin is in the hallway of a fucking college, holding a dirty bag with a first edition Shakespeare in it and waiting for Jeno to finish his class. He doesn’t want to be here, there are too many people around him and it’s loud and Jaemin isn’t even sure if this is the right room he is waiting in front of. Right as he debates to just go home and burn the damn book, the door flies open and a steady stream of students fill the overcrowded hallway even more. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin cradles his head, trying to see if Jeno is among them but there are just so many, why are there so many?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Jaemin?“, a surprised voice calls out and when Jaemin whips around, he comes face to face with Jeno, thank God. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I came here to give you something“, Jaemin says and carefully pulls out the </span>
  <em>
    <span>First Folio</span>
  </em>
  <span>. Jeno‘s eyes grow comically wide and Jaemin can’t help but giggle at his expression. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„That’s- Jaemin I can‘t accept that“, Jeno holds his hands up in an almost defensive gesture. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Please“, Jaemin insists and shoves the book almost violently into Jeno’s arms. „ I‘ve always hated it and every time I looked at it I got super mad but when my gaze fell on it this morning I remembered how you looked at it with so much admiration in your eyes“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Jaemin, this book is worth more than anything I own, you can’t just give it to me“, Jeno protests and attempts to put the book back into Jaemin’s bag. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Look, Jeno“, Jaemin stubbornly grabs his wrist. „It’s either you take it or I‘ll burn it in my oven. I can’t stand looking at it, it doesn’t bring me joy. I don’t even like Shakespear, that numpty fopdoodle“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Numpty fopdoodle?“, Jeno asks and poorly hides a smile behind the back of his free hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„It’s slang“, Jaemin pulls a grimace. Sometimes, when he gets worked up he forgets that some words aren’t up to date anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Alright“, Jeno giggles. „Well, I would hate to see this book burn, so I‘m going to keep it in a safe place. You can have it back any time though“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Do whatever you want with it“, Jaemin makes a dismissive gesture. „Sell it and invest in some more driving lessons“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Are you insane?“, Jeno gasps. „I could never sell something like this and besides that, I‘m a good driver!“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Sure, whatever you say“, Jaemin chuckles and turns back to the door. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Wait!“, Jeno calls out. „Where are you going?“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Home?“, Jaemin replies but it sounds more like a question as if suddenly he isn’t so sure about that anymore. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„There’s a Café just a little off campus“, Jeno looks at Jaemin with an expression that Jaemin can’t pinpoint. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„That’s… nice?“, he knows he sounds unsure, his voice a little wobbly but what is Jeno expecting from him? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„No“, Jeno giggles, fucking giggles and Jaemin is so gone for him, oh shit. „I meant it as in, would you like to have coffee with me? I don’t have any more classes today so I’m free until the evening“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Oh“, Jaemin says, a bit dumbfounded because oh. Jeno would like to… go out with him? Is this a date? Jaemin hasn‘t been on a date in like what, sixty years?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„It’s okay if you don’t want to“, Jeno hurriedly says. „I just thought, you know. It would be nice. Since you gave the book to me and everything“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Oh“, Jaemin repeats and internally yells at himself to do something, holy shit. „I mean yes! I would love to have coffee with you“, he says and hopes Jeno won’t notice his inner turmoil. „I would like that very much“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>🗝</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So they go and drink coffee and talk and laugh and Jaemin is so fucked, oh my god. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno animatly tells him the story of how he saw a stray cat this morning and Jaemin can’t stop looking at his face and noticing the cute way his lips curl and his eyes light up. Fuck. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They spend the entire afternoon together and then Jeno cooks ramyeon for Jaemin at his dorm and then they watch a movie and then Jeno drags Jaemin to a fucking party. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin must be really whipped for Jeno because he hasn’t attended a party in at least a hundred years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Do you smoke?“, Renjun, Jeno’s roommate, asks him while holding up a small bag with- oh bloody hell, is that weed? Jaemin isn‘t one for drugs, he tried it all back in the days but weed definitely was one of the better ones. He remembers back in the eighties he used to have a very wild time, at some point he even joined a cult. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„It’s been a while“, Jaemin truthfully answers. Good god, he hasn’t touched a joint in over thirty years!</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Do you want to?“, Jeno asks and he looks like an excited puppy again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Why not?“, if Jaemin is already at a college party, he can just as well smoke weed with his crush and a random kid he met today. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno giggles cutely and then takes Jaemin‘s hand to drag him through the people in the living room until they stumble into a small backyard where a few students are already laying in the grass, passing beer and joints and cigarettes. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>A few minutes later, Jaemin finds himself among them, watching as first Renjun, then Jeno takes a hit off the joint and Jaemin catches himself staring at Jeno’s lips a little too long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Your turn“, Jeno says and presses the joint into his hands. Jaemin slowly raises it to his mouth, the sweet scent of smoke hitting his nose before he can close his lips around it. It tastes a lot worse than he remembers and the first hit has Jaemin coughing and gasping for air. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun laughs a little when he takes the joint from Jaemin and Jeno gently strokes his back and offers him water. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>The second hit works a lot better, maybe it’s muscle memory but either way, Jaemin manages to inhale the smoke and even hold it in his lungs for a few seconds before he blows it back into the cold night air and that’s when he realizes that holy crap, this is not the stuff he’s used to. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Fuck“, he mutters. „This shit is strong“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno laughs at that and then Jaemin laughs with him because Jeno is ridiculous and this entire situation is just so funny. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Guys“, he wheezes but he doesn’t get to finish that sentence because he’s cracking up again and he already forgot what he wanted to say anyways. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin doesn’t know how long they just lay there and laugh, all he knows is that the grass is feeling good against his skin and that Jeno’s hair is soft. Oh, when did he begin stroking it? And why is Jeno laying in his lap?</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin suddenly wonders if this is already considered harassment and if he is a pedophile, technically Jeno is a lot younger than him by over nine hundred years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Guys“, he tries again. „Fuck, I‘m too old for this shit“.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>There is a brief moment of silence before Jeno crackles up again and Jaemin doesn’t know why but he laughs along, he can‘t even help it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Jaemin“, Jeno wheezes and then suddenly becomes serious, one hand flying up to Jaemin’s neck. „Jaemin I want to kiss you“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin hesitates. He really wants to kiss Jeno as well but he also don’t want to go to jail for sexual harassment. But then again Jeno is legal, right? </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Do you really?“, Jaemin asks because he isn’t entirely convinced yet because why would someone like Jeno want to kiss him, an old, bitter man? Oh right, he‘s stuck in a young body and Jeno doesn‘t know about his real age. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Yeah“, Jeno breathes out and before Jaemin can protest, he pulls him down into a sloppy, uncoordinated kiss and oh, Jeno is a really good kisser, Jaemin might have never experienced such a good kiss ever before. Or maybe he has but that doesn’t matter right. Right now only Jeno’s lips on his matter, Jeno’s hushed moans that Jaemin swallows so easily, Jeno’s hands in his hair that are messing up the dark strands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Jeno wait“, Jaemin pulls back and gaps for air. „I need to tell you something“, he says and pushes some of Jeno’s hair out of his face. „I’m actually super old. Like very old“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno stares at him before he throws his head back and laughs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„That’s okay, Jaemin“, he says and then they‘re kissing again and Jaemin doesn’t care that Jeno won’t take him seriously because it’s so, so good. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Guys!“, Rejun interrupts them. „I‘m hungry“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno laughs and Jaemin laughs with him, unbothered that Renjun just kinda ruined their moment. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Let’s go to the dorms“, Jeno suggests but Jaemin shakes his head. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Let’s go to my place, I‘ve got this huge Pizza laying around that I made yesterday and I could reheat it in the oven“, he taps Jeno’s thighs so he gets up from Jaemin’s lap. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Sounds good“, Jeno says as he stands up, offering his hand to Jaemin who gladly takes it. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Great, let me call a carriage- I mean taxi“, Jaemin uncoordinatedly pulls out his smartphone and tries to search for the number he knows he saved somewhere. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I‘ll call us an uber“, Renjun rolls his eyes and takes Jaemin’s phone from his hand. „You type like a twice divorced soccer mom“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jeno laughs behind him and lazily rests his head on Jaemin’s shoulder so that they‘re cheek to cheek, his arms coming around Jaemin’s waist to hug him. It’s comfortable, Jaemin could stay like this for the next three hundred years. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Eyyy“, a very drunk boy comes crashing into Renjun, his hands are thrown around Renjun’s neck and he starts littering kisses all over his cheeks as soon as he stops stumbling around  in Renjun’s arms. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Ah, stop it“, Renjun tries his hardest to fight and push him off but despite his intoxication, the boy seems to have a strong grip around Renjun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Where are you guys going? The party isn’t over yet, you can’t leave already“, he pouts and accusingly looks first at Jeno, then Renjun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„We‘re going to Jaemin’s place“,Jeno explains. „He has pizza“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Ooh“, the boy‘s eyes grow big. „I want pizza too“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun sighs dramatically and tries once more to get out of the boy‘s deathgrip. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Can Donghyuck come as well?“, he asks defeatedly when he fails again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Sure“, Jaemin shrugs and pulls Jeno’s arms closer around his waist. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>So they all pile into the car when the uber has arrived and Jaemin might or might not hold onto Jeno’s hand for his dear life the entire car ride. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„You really don’t like cars, do you?“, Jeno whispers into his ear with a smile when Jaemin fiddles around with the key. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin hums as he opens the door to let them all in. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Someone once ran me over“, he teases and kicks his shoes off. „I've been sceptical ever since“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Wow“, Renjun says when he steps into Jaemin’s house, a very drunk Donghyuck still clinging onto him. „Does your family own this entire house“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„It’s just me but yes“, Jaemin awkwardly shuffles around the Edgar Allan Poe collection. It’s been so long since he had guests. „Sorry for the mess by the way“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Don’t you get lonely when you’re all alone in this house all the time?“, Donghyuck slurs from behind Renjun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I do“, Jaemin shrugs. „But I‘m used to it now“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He doesn’t tell them that nowadays everything feels dull for Jaemin. They don’t need to know that with time, pain becomes less and less painful, that loneliness doesn’t feel the same anymore. Jaemin is used to being alone because no one ever stays around long enough. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„That’s kinda sad“, Renjun pulls a face and Jeno turns around to flick his forehead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„You’re being rude!“, he scolds and Jaemin watches their bickering with a fond look on his face. It’s kinda nice to have these people in his hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I‘m just telling the truth, idiot!“, Renjun fights back and tries to land a hit on Jeno’s chest but it’s difficult with Donghyuck holding onto him. „You’re just saying this because- holy fuck is that a Botticelli?!“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Renjun shakes Donghyuck off and suddenly forgets to fight Jeno. Instead, his gaze is focused on a painting that Jaemin leaned against a wall because he was too lazy to hang it up. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Uh“, Jaemin scratches his neck. Is it a Botticelli? Could be, but it’s been over three hundred years since Jaemin got this painting so he can’t really tell anymore. „I guess? Hang on“, he walks over to the painting and pulls it up, looking for a signature. „Yes it is“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Is it real?“, Renjun seems just as awestruck as Jeno was when he first saw Jaemin’s hallway. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I mean it says his name right there so I would think it is?“, Jaemin turns it around for Renjun to see who looks like he is about to pass out. „I know it’s in a bad condition, okay? I meant to let it restorate but you know how it is…“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Oh my god, it’s a real Boticelli“, Renjun whispers and Jaemin looks helplessly at Jeno. Jeno isn‘t a big help because he’s busy with admiring one of Jaemin’s vases. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Well yeah“, Jaemin says, unsure what to do with himself. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Why the fuck do you have a Boticelli casually laying around?“, Renjun asks and clutches onto his heart.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„It was a gift, okay? I don’t really like his style but I think it would be rude to give it away“, he explains and it feels weird to have the urge to justify himself in front of Renjun. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Jaemin doesn‘t know what kind of treasures he has laying around“, Jeno says as he gets up again but the smile he sends Jaemin is fond and his words are without any bite. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Sure I do“, Jaemin protests. „For example I do have lots of pizza in my kitchen“.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Nice“, Donghyuck says and pushes past Renjun. „Move, bitch“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Alright“, Jaemin puts the painting back. „Donghyuck and I will be in the kitchen, feel free to join us when you’re done with… whatever it is that you’re doing“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He cheekily presses a small peck on Jeno’s lips and then helps Donghyuck stumble through the mess in his hallway until they reach the kitchen. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Pizza!“, Donghyuck enthusiastically calls out and before Jaemin can even propose to warm the pizza up, two pieces are already down Donghyuck‘s throat. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Cold pizza is just as well as warm pizza, Jaemin decides and then joins Donghyuck on the counter. At this rate there won’t be much pizza left for Jeno and Renjun once they’re done. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Sorry for not caring about your clutter but I‘m no art student like Renjun“, Donghyuck says in between two bites. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Ah it’s fine“, Jaemin makes a dismissive gesture. He really should start decluttering and get rid of some things but well, Jaemin knows he‘s just going to trash his place with other stuff instead. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„You have a really big place“. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I know“, Jaemin shrugs again. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Why do you live all by yourself?“, Donghyuck asks then and wow, nobody has ever asked him that before. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„I don’t know. There is no one to share it with“, he answers after thinking about it for a few seconds. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„What about a boyfriend?“, Donghyuck shovels another piece of pizza into his mouth and then hesitates. „Or girlfriend, I don’t judge“, he adds with his mouth full of pizza. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„If I had one I wouldn’t have kissed Jeno like that, would I?“, Jaemin replies. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Ah, speaking of- are you and Jeno a thing?“</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„No, not really, I met him only a few days ago“, Jaemin explains. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Huh“, Donghyuck takes another piece of pizza. „Don’t take too much time“, he says after a moment of hesitation and he sounds weirdly sober. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Jaemin doesn‘t have time to think about it though because in that moment, Renjun and Jeno step into the kitchen and his attention shifts to the gorgeous boy he kissed less than an hour ago. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>„Pizza?“, he asks and offers what‘s left to both of them. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Uhm… hello? <br/>I know it took me ages to update and I‘m so sorry for that but yeah. I wish I had a proper apology but it’s just life, I guess. I hope I‘ll be able to update at least semi regularly in the future but I can’t promise anything. I hope you enjoyed the new chapter, I might add another one next week if everything goes well. <br/>As always, stay safe and have a nice day! <br/>~ Saphirsilber</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
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